2024 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Luxury Review

Being a relatively new brand to Australia with only modest sales under its belt so far, you’d be forgiven for thinking that South Korean luxury brand Genesis would be a little rough around the edges or not capable of making products good enough to compete with established rivals purely thanks to its young age. There’s no question that Genesis is a young brand compared to companies like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but is that something it’s got going for it? Does a younger and fresher take on what a luxury car be help or hinder Genesis? We tested its most popular product so far – the 2024 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport – to find out if the established luxury brands should be worried.

As we’re sure you’re aware of, there are quite a few luxury mid-sized SUVs on the current Aussie market. The biggest players are the Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3 and the Lexus NX, though there are also other competitors like the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Range Rover Velar and Jaguar F-Pace. These are all vehicles are from far older brands than Genesis, so how does the newcomer stack up? Let’s find out.

How much does the 2024 Genesis GV70 cost to buy?

There are just four variants of the 2024 Genesis GV70 on sale currently: the entry-level two-wheel drive 2.5T ($70,500 plus-on road costs) and adding all-wheel drive to that takes the price to $72,900 +ORC. Then you get to the model we’re testing here: the 3.5T AWD Sport, which is priced from $85,100 plus on-road costs or around $94,000 drive away, depending on location. There is also a fully electric variant called the Electrified GV70, which is priced from $126,475 plus on-road costs – but we believe the sweet spot in the range to be the model tested here thanks to its mix of grunt and equipment.

GV70 3.5T standard equipment:

• 21-inch alloy wheels with a tyre repair kit
• Automatic dusk sensing all-LED exterior lighting
• Automatic rain-sensing wipers
• Heated and electric-folding mirrors with automatic kerb tilting in reverse
• Keyless entry and push button start with remote manouvering
• 14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Satellite navigation with augmented reality
• AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio
• Wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Nine-speaker sound system
• Partially digital driver’s display
• Wireless phone charging
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Panoramic sunroof
• Configurable ambient lighting
• Leather upholstery
• 12-way power adjustable front seats with memory
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Power-adjustable steering column
• Remote start
• Hands-free power tailgate with automatic opening
• Rear door sunshades
• Acoustic laminated windshield and front door glass
• Fingerprint recognition for driver profiles
• Puddle lights with the Genesis logo

GV70 3.5T standard safety equipment:

• Eight airbags (including a front centre unit)
• Auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist and intersection assistance
• Low-speed rear automatic braking
• Lane keeping assistance with lane departure warning
• Auto high beam
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
• Adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist
• Driver attention monitoring
• Traffic sign recognition
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Alarm
• Front and rear parking sensors
• 360-degree surround view camera

The 2024 Genesis GV70 range earned a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2021 with scores of 89 per cent for adult protection, 89 per cent for child protection, 64 per cent for pedestrian protection and 87 per cent for safety assist.

Genesis GV70 colour range:

• Vik Black: $0
• Capri Blue: $0
• Makula Gray: $0
• Saville Silver : $0
• Uyuni White: $0
• Mauna Red: $0 (fitted to our test car)
• Makula Gray Matte: $2,000
• Matterhorn White Matte: $2,000

GV70 3.5T options list:

• Luxury Pack which includes a 16-speaker Lexicon sound system, driver fatigue warning, automatic parking, a heated steering wheel, a third climate zone for rear passengers, Matrix adaptive high beam, laminated side windows, rear privacy glass, Nappa leather upholstery, suede headlining, a greater range electric adjustment for the front seats with massage functionality, heated rear seats, a head-up display and a 3D fully digital driver’s display: $7,100

With the GV70’s rather extensive standard equipment list there, is not much that kit that we would add. Having said that, we also believe that aspects of the Luxury Package should be made standard like the driver fatigue warning, rear privacy glass, rear heated seats and the digital driver’s display.

The closest rivals to the 2024 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport are the $126,800 plus on-road costs BMW X3 M40i and the $127,131 plus on-road costs Jaguar F-Pace 400 Sport. Both of these vehicles are more performance-oriented than the Genesis, though the Genesis does offer better value for money as even fully loaded drive away, its price doesn’t touch the starting price of its rivals.

What engine powers the 2024 Genesis GV70?

The engine under the bonnet of the GV70 we have here is the 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine, which produces 279kW of power (at 5,800rpm) and 530Nm of torque (from a low 1,300rpm to 4,300rpm) – that’s 6kW less but 30Nm more than the X3 M40i and 15kW and 20Nm more than the F-Pace 400. It powers all four wheels via a standard eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission and unlike the Jaguar, it doesn’t feature a mild-hybrid system. The GV70’s claimed 0-100km/h sprint time is a brisk 5.1 seconds or in between the BMW’s 4.8 second and the Jaguar’s 5.4 second claims.

The V6 engine in the GV70 is a great unit, and we really like it. It’s buttery smooth, quiet and adds to the relaxed feel of the car. There is plenty of grunt low down but once you put your boot into it, the Genesis’ V6 really pushes you into the seat which surprised us for such a laid back engine. Putting the GV70 into sport mode livens the engine up a bit and we love how dual natured the GV70 can be. It is also an excellent long distance cruiser and is quite happy to sit on the motorway at 110km/h quietly humming away.

The transmission is very laid back, which isn’t a bad thing, it pulls away from standstill effortlessly and the shifts are not noticeable with light throttle. The GV70’s transmission is a joy to operate, even when engaging gears with the rotary knob in the centre console. When the mood takes you, you can even control the shifting yourself with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. The paddles give a satisfying click when operated and the shifts are nicely quick.

The claimed average fuel consumption for the 2024 Genesis GV80 3.5T Sport is 11.7L/100km and its claimed CO2 emissions are 273g/km, both of which are higher than the X3 M40i’s 8.9L/100km and the F-Pace 400 Sport’s 8.5L/100km claims. In our week of testing, with a mixture of urban and motorway driving, we saw an average fuel consumption figure of 13L/100km, which is not great. The GV70 must run on minimum 95RON premium unleaded and it has a 66-litre fuel tank.

What is the 2024 Genesis GV70 like to drive?

There seems to be a theme appearing in modern SUV’s where if it has any taste of sport then the ride is rather firm and thankfully, Genesis has not gone down this path. The adaptive dampers that feature on the 3.5T Sport GV70 do a fantastic job of changing the ride depending on which drive mode you are in. In comfort mode the ride is not too floaty but not too firm either – it’s really a goldilocks setting. Engage sport mode and it firms up a little to aid in the handling department, yet despite having huge wheels, it’s never uncomfortable. The GV70 gives the best ride quality in the Genesis lineup, in our opinion.

Speaking of handling, the 2024 Genesis GV70 does quite well for a heavy SUV. The all-wheel drive system and good tyres make is quite grippy and the chassis does a good job of hiding the GV70’s size and mass. The steering is direct but a touch too light – we’d love it to have more feel like the F-Pace’s rack – but the steering wheel’s diameter is quite thick, which we like. Noise suppression is excellent with very little road noise and very little engine noise either. As we’ve discovered in other Genesis models, the GV70’s refinement is one of the best in class.

How practical is the 2024 Genesis GV70?

Step into the interior of the 2024 Genesis GV70 range and it’s obvious that you’re in something special thanks to its mix of design, quality and technological integration. The two huge screens light up and the ambient lighting glows to reveal the special design aspects of this modern cabin. We love the interior of the GV70 and would even go as to say that for a lot of aspects, it’s the best in class.

The quality inside the GV70 is excellent with the leather-covered dashboard, leather door cards, a soft centre console and even the little amount of hard plastic that is used in the cabin, feels nice to touch. There’s a lot of storage on offer as well, including deep door pockets, a decent sized centre console, a wireless charger to charge your phone, two nicely sized cupholders and a nice glove box.

The 14.5-inch touchscreen that sits in the centre of the dash on the GV70 is integrated well. It features satellite navigation, digital radio, ‘sounds of nature’ functionality and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The quality of the screen is fantastic, as well as the infotainment software, which is easy to use. The screen can be controlled via touch or via the BMW iDrive-style rotary dial in the centre console, which is great for use at speed. The 14-speaker Lexicon sound system is much better than the similar system that is used in the larger and more expensive GV80.

Stepping into the rear of the 2024 Genesis GV70 is perhaps a bit of its downfall as the space on offer just isn’t as large as the X3. Still. there is more than enough knee, head and shoulder room for occupants. You could fit three children or two adults back there comfortably for longer journeys.

There are two ISOFIX points and three top tether points for child seats, as well as a third row of climate control, manual sun shades, outboard heated seats, a fold down centre arm rest and reclining seats for greater comfort.

Opening the power tailgate reveals 542-litres of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 1,678-litres with them folded down, which is 8L smaller but 78L larger than the X3 and 204L/126L smaller than the F-Pace. Under the floor lies the subwoofer and space saver spare, along with a clever storage spot for the cargo cover as you’ll likely remove it to maximise the boot space.

What warranty covers the 2024 Genesis GV70?

All Genesis products are equipped with a luxurious ownership experience, including complimentary picking up and dropping off of your car for servicing within 70km of a service centre, as well as a loan car for while it’s being serviced. Genesis goes a step further with five years/50,000km (whichever comes first) of servicing included in the cost of the car and a five-year/unlimited km warranty with five years of roadside assistance rounds out the aftersales package.

BMW and Jaguar both match the five-year unlimited kilometre warranty Genesis offers, though Jaguar features longer service intervals. The BMW X3 comes with condition-based servicing, though the general guide is 12 months or 15,000km and the Jaguar F-Pace only needs servicing every 24 months or 34,000km. Both BMW and Jaguar do not quote service costs, though at the time of purchase you can buy a service pack: a five-year or 80,000km service pack on an X3 costs $2,675 and a pack for the F-Pace over the span of five years or 102,000km costs $2,450.

Should I buy a 2024 Genesis GV70 3.5T?

Overall, is the 2024 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport worthy of a test drive? Absolutely, yes it is. It’s one of our favourite premium mid-size SUVs and it’s definitely capable of holding a candle to rivals from more established brands. Its combination of lovely quality, attractive styling, excellent comfort, a great driving experience, a very long list of standard equipment and a great aftersales experience makes it a very well-rounded package.

But for us, its value equation is the best part. Yep, it’s not cheap but it’s still much better value for money than its key rivals, and there are no annoying individual options to select either. Counting against the GV70 are its less than commodious rear seat space and boot and that it can be quite thirsty with any drivetrain you choose, but especially this twin-turbo V6. But despite these few issues, the GV70 is very much worthy of consideration and if you’re after a premium mid-size SUV, go and test drive one – we’re sure you’ll like it as it has a lot to offer you.